The most important fiestas in Santiago de Compostela are, without doubt, those centred around the July 25 Festival, Día de la Patria Galega y Día del Apóstol Santiago (Galicia Day and the Apostle St. James’s Day). The last fortnight of the month sees a mix of popular fiesta with the religious and the political, with the city council putting together an extensive cultural and entertainment programme including exhibitions, theatre, street entertainment, and a full range of concerts to suit all tastes, many of which are held in the Plaza del Obradoiro and Plaza de la Quintana.

On the evening of July 24, the eve of the big day, the Plaza del Obradoiro hosts an incredible firework display. The most solemn religious ceremony is the King’s Offering to the Apostle, held on the 25th, which sees the famous Botafumeiro (a huge incense burner) in use.
 

The other big local fiesta is the Ascensión; held in May or June – there is no fixed date – and lasting for a week. These celebrations are riotous affairs, thanks in the main, to the students taking part in them. There are concerts, fairs, street bands, the livestock fair and of course, mass in the cathedral, during which the Botafumeiro makes another appearance.

At the end of February or the beginning of March the whole of Galicia celebrates the extremely popular Antroido (carnival), which, in Santiago, sees the whole of the city taking part.

Easter Week, in March or April, sees several, very interesting processions such as the Procesión do encontro (The Meeting Procession), viernes santo (Easter Friday), and os caladiños (The Silent Ones).

In Galicia the liveliest of the mass gatherings are the romerías (religious processions to a rural shrine), which normally feature fairs and dances too. The most popular ones in Santiago are San Lázaro, on March 17 and 18, and San Marcos and San Pedro Mártir, on April 24 and 29 respectively.